There is a print system in which a print instruction is transmitted from a client to a server, and the server that receives the print instruction converts the content for printing to print data. In recent years, attention has focused on the concept of cloud computing, and as with the aforementioned system, this can also be understood as one mode whereby a server provides a service to a client. A main feature of cloud computing is that data conversion and data processing are executed in a distributed manner using many computing resources so as to process requests from many clients in a simultaneous manner. At present, vendors provide various types of services in a disorderly manner by implementing web services in a cloud computing environment to realize cloud computing.
Vendors that provide services in a cloud computing environment include notable vendors such as Google®. Google® has not only established many large-scale data centers but also shows active movements, for example, Google® cooperates with devices and is developing a data communication structure between devices and services. For example, Google® has developed a mechanism for data communication designed to provide services in conjunction with image forming apparatuses, and has publicly disclosed interfaces designed for image forming apparatuses to conduct data communication in a cloud computing environment prepared by Google®. By installing this interface in image forming apparatuses, it is possible for a client to designate an image forming apparatus to conduct printing, even if the image forming apparatus and the server are connected via the Internet. This is called a cloud print system.
If a client device is at least provided with a web browser, a cloud print system can be used. Consequently, print instructions can be issued not only from one's own client terminal, but also from a terminal of one's choice such as a conference room, a field office, or a mobile device. As a result, a cloud print system is not only effective for individual use, but also for office use.
In the case of office use, it is frequently the case that an image forming apparatus is shared by multiple users, and it is frequently the case that each user is capable of using multiple image forming apparatuses. Consequently, in addition to the push printing function that is normal printing, there are also many environments in which a pull printing function or anywhere printing function may also be used. Anywhere printing is a print mode in which a user issues a print instruction from an application without determining the image forming apparatus, and then output is conducted from a desired image forming apparatus. With respect to a system provided with the image forming apparatuses disclosed in Patent Document 1, a list of output targets for print data is presented to a user device, a settings screen display pertaining to an image forming apparatus is modified in response to non-selection of specific output targets by the user device, and the print data selected by user operation is output. By means of this processing, the system disclosed in Patent Document 1 carries out an anywhere printing function and pull printing.